At the start, facing a manageable opponent, the Azzurri could legitimately aim for a first victory in order to immediately have a chance at qualification for the round of 16.
This was not the case, and the Azzurri had to settle for a draw that quite accurately reflects the course of a match lacking flair, with two goals scored thanks to defensive errors (Italian defenders’ marking error on a free kick and a complete flop by the South American goalkeeper following a corner).
The “Anonimi (anonymous) Azzurri” (as the always aggressive transalpine press dubbed the Italian players to highlight their mediocre performance) are still in the running for qualification, but it is clear that they will need to put a “tiger” in their tank if they want to remain among the title contenders, which belongs to them at least until the final.
Beyond any technical analysis, it is evident that they will not succeed if their players do not make any shots on target, as was the case against Paraguay. You can’t expect to take advantage of a “royal” gift from the opposing goalkeeper every match…
